In my opinion, songs about the herb lure in new clientele. I think a lot of new reggae listeners are herb smokers that associate the two together...sad but true. Im not going lie or hide, I too was one of these young listeners that associated the two together until I figured out there was more to the genre then just herb smokin...so much more.

@ strikkly, just trying to over stand..you nah rate the herb or you nah rate herb tunes. I remember seeing you on the snwmf roll call inna patch of trees! Personally, some of the crucial herb tunes are huge rasta anthems that get the whole place bumping. Plus, this is a part of Rastafari livity and culture. I agree herb tunes with no consciousness are pretty wack, but pass the kutchie, tired fi lick weed inna bush, ganja smuggling are crucials IMO.

As Pressure says, and my wife who doesn't catch a medi just reminded me, Ganja make the world go round, eh!!

Hmmm, I'm sorta with you on this one strikkly. Yes, the generic weed songs are definitely played out. Many times they get the 'skip' treatment on my music player. But then again, if it's a well done anthem tune, it can fire me up! (no pun intended)

I don't think any one is criticizing the herb. I think the point being made is that the constant fixation on herb covers-up the deeper ideas in the music. Most people automatically associate reggae with herb.

most people know not the labor involved in cultivation
when your hands and arms are black from resin and you hear another bubbly go so lucky weed tune
thus the reaction STFU weed song......I should say STFU to simple ass cliche in the lyrics
It goes for other topics too.....some become uninspiring because of the lack of creativity
I highly rate heb and I rate GOOD herb tunes
some lyrics just reflect a serious lack of progressw or maturity and so as a thinking man I take exception
respect sameway

Most people forget or simply don't know the true works required to bring forth a harv. Tedious, time consuming, and clearly a bit risky. I fully respect the herb men and women out there doing their thing. Most don't know that every little piece was handled and brought to precise fruition by intentional minds. And while I do love catching a medi on the regular, tunes like the above, 'everyday, like everyday' do not seem conscious to the I. This sacred plant requires our full respect as it is here to serve and heal. Gwan farmer man..

Again, I think people are mixing up the herb itself with the excessive reference to herb in reggae music that make it a joke, stoner genre to many, as well as covers up the more serious issues sung about in reggae.

As a teacher I am constantly trying to get my reggae students to move past marijuana themes to the deeper lyrics. It is very frustrating and the constant use of herb songs by California dj's (particularly cause I live in CA) makes it that much harder to defend it as anything more than weed music.

Weed songs are to reggae what booze is to the blues and beer is to polka. Integral to the genre, but ultimately boring. At least in good blues tunes, it's more about the complexity of human relationships and the consequences of drinking, rather than mere boasting about quantity, potency and/or the ability to transport. Yeah, and I already know it's good for meditation and relaxation.... Lot's of things are.

And as it gets more legal here in the states, it seems almost quaint to hear the near-constant calls from the stage for legalization. Chanting for legalization is fine, but voting will actually accomplish it.

Now if somebody would write a big weed tune that will keep kids from blowing themselves up making wax and concentrates, I'd be pleased.

Long time massive. This is an interesting thread, indeed. I most def ovas the sentiment about faddish or ice cream style weed songs but it’s no mistake that herbs are a large part of reggae and Rasta culture that has its rightful and due place (though ones don’t have to smoke to be a Ras and not every artist partake of the herbs sameway). Still, well-crafted herb songs are anthems in their own right and nuff creative herb songs are still produced continually IMHO.

To comment on a previous reference to Anthony b’s “Weed Everyday”…this is an inherently BIG tune with BIG Vibes! More still, this tune has strong potential from a cross over point of view that can attract those more into hip-hop who are less likely to check more rootsy herb songs; working as a bridge from genres proportionately dominated by more slack themes into the more conscious vibes of reggae music.

Lots to be said for the lyric “herbs behind mi education, behind mi motivation”.

Another view of “weed everday like everday” could be…herbs without apology, regardless of smoking everday or not…and of course like anything else that is good for I, balance is a must.

There are definitely artists and DJ's out there who make and play ganja tunes simply because they think that's what people want to hear and yea, some of em just aren't any good. However, to me, you can't really understand reggae as a genre if you're a new listener without having an appreciation for classics like "Police in Helicopter" "Stalk of Sensimilla" "Under Mi Sleng Teng" "Ganja Smuggling" or even newer tunes such as the Anthony B tune above, Alborosie's "Herbalist" or Warrior King's "Oh What a Feeling" just to name a few.

If all the reggae music that was financed with (overwhelmingly small-scale) earnings from ganja sales were to disappear, there goes the majority of reggae in the 70s and early 80s. This was the case until the mid to late '80s when the cocaine trade started to become the major method of financing recordings (interestingly enough, also the advent of dancehall). Personally, although I rarely live up to my stage name anymore, I'd much prefer to hear tunes celebrating the "healing of the nations" rather than extolling guns, bling, punanny, bleaching, burning the batty man etc. But that's just me. Still, I overstand what you're saying as a teacher who's constantly reasoning with the youth Jeff, and how so much of the social, cultural and political content of reggae can easily be lost in focusing on ganja (as an awful lot of the so-called "Cali-reggae" demonstrates). My own son thinks weed is for old farts like his dad's friends, and doesn't have much to do with it. He still likes and appreciates reggae on a musical and rhythmic level.

Redwood Rebel, I would have to turn that around and say you can't really understand reggae unless you dig beneath the weed tunes and learn about history, the African experience, etc.

Herb, thanks for the overstanding. I realize mine is not the most popular opinion on this thread, but is realistically based in my own personal experiences as a teacher who loves reggae and lives/teaches in a heavy growing region.
Jeff

I don't smoke, but I appreciate a well-written, catchy ganja tune as much as anyone else. Same way I'm an atheist but can still appreciate the Jah/God themes in reggae music as well. After all, it is only music.

QuoteChimino
I don't smoke, but I appreciate a well-written, catchy ganja tune as much as anyone else. Same way I'm an atheist but can still appreciate the Jah/God themes in reggae music as well. After all, it is only music.

QuoteChimino
I don't smoke, but I appreciate a well-written, catchy ganja tune as much as anyone else. Same way I'm an atheist but can still appreciate the Jah/God themes in reggae music as well. After all, it is only music.

J, as Rockey Bailey always says at the start of the shows around here: the message is in the music, and the music is in the message. But what exactly is the message at this point? Too often, I find myself cringing at (or subconsciously ignoring) some of the uninspired, sophomoric weed tunes coming out on the new rhythms that I hear every single day in the Norcal reggae-sphere...

Don't get me wrong, it may well really be the healing of the nation. But when you spend real time with tweeners and teens banging around to soccer practice, carpools and camping trips, and the radio is tuned to one of the awesome bay area reggae DJ's and the volume is on 11, you have to explain over and over why some of these guys these guys are so absolutely obsessed with herb. And then when a bunch of eleven year old girls tell me that reggae sounds stupid when they only sing about pot, I say, get back on message.

Well i've had a very long relationship with the herb, which has changed during my life. I grew up in Alaska, where the herb was made legal when i was a teenager and through my college years, then i moved to Cali where it was much cheaper until the state started the CAMP wars and raised the price up for the dealers, then came the medical marijuana times which have brought us to the present state. The way i've thought about weed has changed a bit too. I didn't start listening to reggae really until about ten years ago, but i paid attention to how the herb is spoken about in music, which is my entertainment type of choice. In other genre's weed is spoken about as an intoxicant. In reggae, yes there are many songs which glorify the herb and don't really talk about it specifically. Then there are other songs which talk about a way of life of which herb is part of, that it's part of life and a good part which can bring positive effects also. These are the herb songs i like.

'Do you feel irie?' We could talk all day about what that means, but what it means to me is that feeling i got on sunday afternoon when Cherine Anderson was on stage and she called that couple up on stage with her. I looked at them and saw myself and my wife there, and i was bursting with emotion. Ya, i was feeling irie, and the ganja i had smoked was definitely part of it. Does alcohol make you feel irie? Not me. On the other hand, is the Perfect song '10 Pounds of Ganja' a little much, ya i would say so, but i did enjoy hearing him talk about it.

cannabis is a powerful plant medicine ... It need be respected as such & used in proper balanced dosage with appropraite medical diagnosis ... For example, aspirin is a plant medicine that was orignally extracted from the bark of the willow tree - but if aspirin is used inappropriately it will soon rot out the internal organs ... nowadays much of what passes as 'natural' bud has been genetically modified by successive breeding to push up the thc molecule and push down the thd molecule for the market appeal of a pretty look a stinky bouquet and its innebriating shock on the nervous system ... Habitual mis-use of the ganj will throw the inner life out of balance & often leads to adolescent onset schizophrenia or adult ganja psychosis ... Case in point => All three of the original Wailers lost their minds ... 2 at the end of their lives and the surviving Wailer is now an incoherent ego maniac. Those of that generation of heavy ganja smokers who learnt to moderate their intake are doing better ... those that did not learn to moderate their ganja intake are for the most part lost.

The ganj users would frequently dis the rum-head but but innebriation is innebriation ... Those who somehow still think the ganj will help you get 'irie' are mistakenly looking outside themselves for god because health, wholeness & happyness come from within ... Innapropriate use of any medicine is always a crutch to keep limping with - rather than heal the infirmity ... Irie-ness can only result from right thinking, speaking, acting, livlehood, effort, mindfullness & compassion for self and others.

Peacemakeya, I do agree with your reasoning. I am a chronic 'chronic' user, but lately I have felt it doesn't do much for me. I am hoping to quit soon, or at least back off of it for a while, but it definitely holds a firm grip on ones' psyche/consciousness. In the past it helped me deal with the perils of Babylon, but now I'm feeling that irie-ness does indeed come more from "right thinking & speaking, acting, livlihood, effort, mindfulness & compassion for self and others". Bless Up!

"Nothing" is subjective, but for the most part, no. Reggae/dancehall/rocksteady/ska all originated as dance music, and the riddim was generally more important than the lyrics being sung.
The idea of reggae being a "righteous" music and foremost a sociopolitical statement is pretty much an (white) American concept.

Quote
Chimino
The idea of reggae being a "righteous" music and foremost a sociopolitical statement is pretty much an (white) American concept.

Not so, last night i went to a rock show at Ashkenaz, ran into Sweetfoot from the Caribbean Allstars. He was just leaving because the opening act didn't do it for him and we had a little session outside. I offered that the main act played southern blues rock, and he asked me what i ever got from listening to blues or rock. Although we did not define what it was that one got from reggae rather than blues and rock, he was adamant that there was some righteousness and a message that one did get, and he claimed it came from that little island and not from here. I could not disagree with him.

QuoteThe idea of reggae being a "righteous" music and foremost a sociopolitical statement is pretty much an (white) American concept.

While this statement is pure poppycock imo I must confess that, from my vantage point, most (white Americans) tend to gravitate towards reggae music on account of the "sociopolitical statement" contained in the music. That would include the "Babylonian" concepts contained therein, the "sufferation," the interconnectedness (one love) sentiments, the livity (naturality) connections as well as the topic of this thread - the adoration of ganja.........

First of all i tend to agree in general that herb tunes are played out. I also agree that reggae in general is not a particularly righteous music. No doubt there is the conscious element (and that tends to be what I prefer), but it's certainly not overwhelmingly a "rasta" or even a "conscious" thing. I also think the drug culture associated with reggae music (often unfairly) has done a major disservice to the music. A lot of the artists/producers/etc... are non-smokers. When travelling, reggae artists/people in the reggae business are targeted at customs because of the drug culture, even those who have never smoked a spliff in their life. Although there is some benefit in intoxicants, the harm done by them and the elements of culture surrounding them is far outweighs the benefits

I'd be lying if I said there weren't ganja tunes I like (despite being a non-smoker). But in general, the topic is long since played out in the same vein as some of the other reggae cliches.

Blah, whatever. J72, you were whining "the message in the music means nothing?" and I simply stated, no, this "message" you speak of is mostly personal and, these days at least, mostly sold to foreigners who want to hear "righteousness" over reality/slackness, etc.

QuoteJ_72
Redwood Rebel, I would have to turn that around and say you can't really understand reggae unless you dig beneath the weed tunes and learn about history, the African experience, etc.

Herb, thanks for the overstanding. I realize mine is not the most popular opinion on this thread, but is realistically based in my own personal experiences as a teacher who loves reggae and lives/teaches in a heavy growing region.
Jeff

I won't disagree with you in the slightest there J_72. There any many different deep and important messages of reggae music. Is the ganja the most important message frequently brought up in reggae lyrics that people should focus on? No, not at all. But you can't deny its heavy influence on the style of music we all love

And the majority younger kids might think reggae music is all ganja music, but a majority of the younger kids these days listen to Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne so their opinion is irrelevant any how

I would indeed say your statement regarding conscious lyrics/reggae to be a creation of (white) America very suspect, and not to be relied upon. It leaves out many other factors, and I know you know this, Chimino.

Fair enough Jeff, though that was not my original statement, where I was giving an opinion of feeling the music despite not subscribing to the lyrics on a personal level. You responded 'So the message in the music means nothing?". I shouldn't style you up as a "whiner" which is unfair, but seeking altruism in music (largely performed by people whose sole intention is to make money) is generally an American/Californian take on reggae.

Had a great moment driving back from the Rennaissance Faire Sunday night.

Two of my daughter's 11 y.o. friends bought little clay bird whistles at that Faire that really looked like mini ganja pipes. They were blowing crazy birdsongs along with the generally crappy pop tunes on the commercial radio stations that they demand.

I was losing it during one of the endless, bombastic commercial breaks and said "This station sucks. Can I turn on some real music?" And to them, in my car, that always means reggae. So I flipped the switch, and on came some really old Israel Vibration. Roots. But then a phone call came in from the wife and the CD was off.

Moments later, when I wasn't looking, the radio was stabbed back on by a sticky little finger. And then, like a message from Jah, Katy Perry's new hit chune rang out on 101.7, and the girls in the back seat starting freestyling a full on ganja tune with bird whistles blazing, lyrics upon lyrics. Just for me. For like twenty minutes.

Thats hilarious Jahsprey. My daughter and i used to battle over the tunes also. We finally settled on no tunes, just conversation in the car as we both felt it was better than listening to the others' music.

Chimino, I want to make clear that I do not hold reggae artists to their own lyrics, most of the time. Humans are humans, even Rasta musicians. Too long ago that bubble burst, if you know what I mean. I disagree with the idea that conscious lyrics are a creation of white America. I would even go a step further and say that conscious lyrics sell less than slackness, or even feel good stuff, so it must mean more than money.

i have moved from musicians whining about white injustices, while black on black homicides are at an all time high.. to white, affluent white musicians whining about daddy not buying them a bmw at 16(pearl jam, stp, nirvana)

anyone suggest some extraordinary cheese while i induldge in my whine of the week?